Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Howdy!!! Update on our Adoption... On April
1, 2014 we received our approval letter! So now we begin our final push
to reach and complete our fundraising goal. We know that God doesn't call everyone to adopt but he does call
us all to care for the orphans. We want to give you the opportunity to
take part in caring for orphans even if you are not called to physically adopt
a child yourself.

One way you can do this is by praying
for us as we walk through this process. We need to be lifted up in prayer for
wisdom in our decisions, and for God to make our paths clear. We know
that this is not an easy road, but we are so humbled by the opportunity only
God can provide.

In addition, we need support with our
fundraising efforts. We are $12,760 short of our final fundraising goal. So if
you feel led to support our adoption through fundraising here are a few of some
of the fundraisers you might consider supporting:

However there is one small
detail I have left out....Yesterday (April 22, 2014) we received word that a
birthmother had chosen us!!!! Today at 4:00 PM we met our daughter!!!
She is the most precious baby ever and we are so amazed at God's loving
kindness!!! Taylor is 9 months old and will join our family forever on
Friday April 25, 2014!!!! WHOOP!

When we started this
journey we were told it might take up to 2 years for a birth mother to choose
our family. Little did we know what God had in store for us. Here
we were thinking we had plenty of time to complete the baby’s room, put
together a few more fundraisers and have everything perfect for when we would
be chosen... oops! God's plan is always bigger! We are excited,
joyful, amazed, and humbled by His precious gift.

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

We all know that trials are a part of life, but they are such a challenge as you walk through them. James 1 reminds us to "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have is perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

One of the darkest times in my life also produced some of my deepest times of reliance on the Lord. It was seven years ago when my mom's renal failure and mental illness collided into the hardest year of my life. She eventually passed away in November 2007 and I was left with so many conflicting emotions... from immense grief, to relief, and guilt, as well as joy in remembering the many great memories and a mom who taught me what it means to selflessly serve others.

After seven years, the grief does not consume me the way it once did, but grief has a funny way of creeping up on you when you least expect it. It has been normal to occasionally experience the sting of sadness when something reminds me how much I miss her or laugh a little when we bump into a funny memory. Although, I did not realize how much the adoption process would stir up this grief.

This process has so many highs and lows. I have really struggled with wishing she was here as we are walk through this. I wish she was here to share in the joys and excitement. I wish she was here to listen when days are hard. I wish she was here to help me put the baby's room together and to sew our baby bedding like we sewed so many other pieces in our home. Most of all I wish she was here to be the Grandy our children will only know through pictures.